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Toronto Review: Dan Rush's Indie Drama 'Everything Must Go'
Its been a few days and I can already tell you this is one of those films that will stick with me. I first heard about Dan Rush's Everything Must Go when I noticed it was one of the most highly rated scripts floating around, one that everyone seems to love. Before I knew it, the film had already been shot with Will Ferrell starring in the lead, and now its making its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival. The first thing to note about this indie movie is that it's not really a comedy. Sure, it has Will Ferrell starring in it, but it's actually a very low key, very smart indie drama. And although it's not perfect, I personally really enjoyed it.
⥤ Posted September 13 in Reviews, Toronto Film Fest 10 | 6 Comments
Method of Madness: Why Do Actors Insist on Method Acting?
In 1976, a young Dustin Hoffman was shooting one of the biggest movies of his career - Marathon Man. The role called for Hoffman to play a man at the end of his physical and psychological rope since most of the film involved double crosses and shady killers out to get him. To put himself in the mindset of a man losing control Hoffman didn't sleep for days at a time and let his body become disheveled and unhealthy. Finally, after all this work Hoffman notices his co-star Sir Lawrence Olivier sitting comfortably on a stage chair without a care in the world. Surprised that he is the only one on set who has gone to such rigorous lengths,
⥤ Posted September 13 in Discussion, Editorials, Opinions | 38 Comments
Milla Jovovich Threatens That Another Resident Evil is Coming
The weekend just ended with the awful looking Resident Evil: Afterlife 3D winning the box office, so what better time for the hype machine to start rolling for another unnecessary sequel in the tired and cartoonish video game franchise adaptation. Vulture has the scoop from franchise star (and wife of director Paul W.S. Anderson) Milla Jovovich who says, "we're definitely going to make another one." Apparently Anderson already has ideas for Resident Evil 5 and if the Executioner's coin spilling body is any indicator (I don't care if Alice loaded a gun with coins previously) we're in for plenty more ridiculous shit to numb the skull.
⥤ Posted September 13 in Movie News, Opinions | 47 Comments
IFC Films Nabs James Gunn's Dark Superhero Comedy 'Super'
After making its world premiere at a Midnight Madness screening during the Toronto Film Festival a few days ago, James Gunn's edgy superhero comedy Super has been picked up by IFC Films. The indie film distributor announced the purchase today via press release as Deadline preemptively revealed the surprising seven-figure deal that resulted after "an all-night bargaining session." Written and directed by James Gunn (Slither), the film follows Frank (Rainn Wilson) who transforms into the makeshift superhero Crimson Bolt after his drug addicted wife (Liv Tyler) leaves him for a psychopathic drug dealer (Kevin Bacon).
⥤ Posted September 13 in Movie News, Opinions | 6 Comments
William Friedkin Makes Matthew McConaughey His 'Killer Joe'
In the last decade of his career, once celebrated director William Friedkin (best known for The Exorcist, The French Connection, Sorcerer) has been mostly uneventful. From that military drama misfire Rules of Engagement in 2000 to his most recent thriller attempt with Bug in '06, there's not that much to celebrate. Since his most recent directing job had him helming a couple episodes of "CSI" (gross!), hopefully it's good news to have him returning to features as THR reports the filmmaker will direct Killer Joe, a black comedy featuring Matthew McConaughey playing the title character, a hybrid man of the law and contract killer.
⥤ Posted September 13 in Casting, Movie News, Opinions | 3 Comments
Review: Too Many Jovovichs in Newest Resident Evil: Afterlife
Why are there so many Milla Jovovichs? That's the drilling question that I couldn't keep from traveling through my brain in the opening minutes of Paul W.S. Anderson's Resident Evil: Afterlife wherein Milla, back for her fourth zombie-destroying adventure, and a whole group of clones take on the Tokyo base of the evil Umbrella Corporation. I'm sure the answer to my quandary has some satisfying explanation at the end of Resident Evil: Extinction. Unfortunately, that movie, just like the one before it, had many plot details that slipped effortlessly from memory shortly after seeing it. It's three years later. I can't be expected to
⥤ Posted September 13 in Opinions, Reviews | 29 Comments
Indie Trailer Sunday: Making Of '2001: A Space Odyssey' Doc
I know that a lot of people, including my roommate, consider Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey to not only be one of the great films of all-time, but one of their personal all-time favorites. It's not often we get to talk about the sci-fi masterpiece, but amazingly there's a new documentary coming out titled Beyond the Infinite: The Making of A Masterpiece made by Douglas Trumbull, the special effects supervisor on 2001. A trailer for the doc recently appeared on io9 (via SlashFilm) which I thought was worth featuring today. Oh and that great photo above comes from Quint's fantastic behind-the-scenes photo series on AICN.
⥤ Posted September 12 in Indies, To Watch, Trailers | 13 Comments
Sofia Coppola's Somewhere Wins Top Prize at Venice Film Fest
We're in the thick of the film festival season, with two major film festivals wrapping up (Telluride, Venice) and one still on-going (Toronto). Yesterday evening the winners of various prizes at the 67th Venice Film Festival were announced, and instead of former winner Darren Aronofsky taking home any deserved prize this year, the Golden Lion for the Best Film went to Sofia Coppola's Somewhere. But as is usually the case with most of these awards from fests, they don't mean much besides just being the favorite of the jury, and this year the jury was led by Quentin Tarantino, which has caused some sites to claim favoritism on his part.
⥤ Posted September 12 in Indies, Movie News, Opinions | 4 Comments
Tattoo's Noomi Rapace Nabs Lead Role in Sherlock Holmes 2
Ever since the Swedish Millennium Trilogy, which starts up with The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, started making its way to the US earlier this year, actress Noomi Rapace has been a increasingly hot commodity in Hollywood. Rapace starred as Lisbeth in the trilogy of films but hasn't been in much else; Rooney Mara is playing the same character in David Fincher's US remake. Although she's being considered for many major roles in lots of Hollywood projects, Heat Vision reports that the Swedish actress has nabbed the lead female role in Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes 2 sequel to the period piece action blockbuster from late last year.
⥤ Posted September 11 in Casting, Movie News, Opinions | 14 Comments
Toronto Review & Video: Matt Reeves' Outstanding 'Let Me In'
One of the most heavily debated films of this year has to be Let Me In, which is Cloverfield director Matt Reeves' new take on John Ajvide Lindqvist's vampire tale Let the Right One In, that was brilliantly adapted in 2008 by Swedish director Tomas Alfredson. I'm a huge fan of the original film and I was truthfully a bit worrisome going into this, but despite all my fears, Reeves has pulled it off. I was stunned to discover that Let Me In is a beautifully dark and superb film that is actually on par with Alfredson's Let the Right One In. Believe it. This is one American remake is just as worthwhile as the original, in every way - it's that good.
⥤ Posted September 11 in Movie News, Reviews, Toronto Film Fest 10 | 29 Comments
Watch: First TV Spot for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
"You can't fight this war on your own, he's too strong." There are only 69 days left until the first half of the incredibly epic conclusion to the Harry Potter arrives in theaters, which means Warner Bros is starting up their marketing push already. An early 30-second TV spot for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I has started airing and can be seen below (courtesy of WB). It's a mix of a few new scenes and some of the great shots from the trailer, so if you're a Potter fan, you've got to check it out. Although at some point in November I'm going to have to stop watching any footage, just so I can go in fresh and be fully blown away.
⥤ Posted September 11 in Hype, To Watch, TV Spots | 19 Comments
Toronto Review: Boden and Fleck's 'It's Kind of a Funny Story'
Filmmaker duo Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck first found success in 2006 with the indie Half Nelson, but didn't really hit it out of the park with Sugar in 2008 (I thought it was just okay). They're back again with their third feature film, another fun, quirky drama called It's Kind of a Funny Story, adapted from Ned Vizzini's novel of the same name that's based on his own real experiences. The film stars Keir Gilchrist as a 16-year-old suicidal kid who checks himself into an adult psychiatric ward in hopes of curing himself, but eventually discovers to appreciate life and live stress free after spending a week with the rest of the patients.
⥤ Posted September 11 in Reviews, Toronto Film Fest 10 | 4 Comments
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